


The Other One

by carolroi (CarolROI)



Category: SuperM (Korea Band)
Genre: Aliens, M/M, One(Monster & Infinity), Spaceships, SuperM - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-07
Updated: 2020-11-07
Packaged: 2021-03-09 00:40:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 7,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27425872
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CarolROI/pseuds/carolroi
Summary: The Infinity 1 is stranded in a collapsing dimension.  Can Captain Baekhyun, Navigator Taemin and crew find what they need to repair their ship and escape safely? And who, or what, is the other one?My explanation for what's going on in the "One (Monster & Infinity)" music video.
Relationships: Baekhyun/Taemin, Byun Baekhyun/Lee Taemin
Comments: 9
Kudos: 22





	The Other One

**Author's Note:**

> First fic in a new fandom. First fic in a loooong while. Let me know what you think.

Kai felt his _hyung_ dying; the Riders all sensed his weakening through their bond. The contagion, the corruption of this disintegrating dimension he had drawn into himself to protect them, was destroying him from within. Gritting his teeth, Kai shifted Taemin's weight higher on his back, feeling the injured Navigator's calm presence in his mind.

 _Wasted energy, Jongin,_ Taemin said, using Kai's crèche name to get his full attention. _Useless to worry about what might never come to pass instead of concentrating on what is in the now._

Kai swore as an enormous chunk of ceiling crashed down in front of them, the dust and debris thrown up as it hit the ground temporarily blinding him, but his steps didn't falter. His captain, Baekhyun, to the right of them wasn't so lucky. He went to his knees, but Taeyong was quick to place a hand under his arm and pull him to his feet again. 

In the lead, Ten turned to see what was keeping them. "We have to hurry! This dimension is getting more and more unstable! If we don't get to the Infinity 1 before it collapses, we'll be trapped here!"

"Leave me." Taemin's voice cut through the rumble of destruction going on around them. 

Six "No's" answered him, Baekhyun's cracking with grief. 

"Here!" Minhyung called out, pointing to an opening to their left. They dashed through it, turning back to see the building they had just escaped tumbling to the ground over and over in endless repetition. Above them, the sky shattered like glass, falling and reforming in waves. 

A pained noise from Taemin brought Baekhyun immediately to his side. Kai lowered the Navigator to the ground and Baekhyun cradled his heart's mate in his arms as Taeyong waved a med scanner over him. His eyes were grave when they met Kai's. 

Kai turned his gaze toward Ten, watching as the pilot settled himself as well as he could with the ground heaving under his feet. He sensed the mental call for their ship through their bond and scanned the vicinity for any sign of the Corsair. Where in the hell was the Infinity 1?

* * *

The collision came out of nowhere. One moment they were sailing smoothly through the emptiness of the void between dimensions, the next an object had materialized in front of them. It wasn't a large object, a box approximately two meters by one meter, but its dimensional weight was huge, as if the interior of the box was larger than its outside. It struck their Corsair class Dimension Runner on the starboard side of the bow, shoving the Riders' ship out of the void and into a tumbling free fall through an uncountable number of dimensions. 

Alarms echoed through the ship, emergency lights flaring on every control panel. Kai could only watch helplessly while Ten and Taemin, as pilot and Navigator, fought to bring the craft back under control. Minhyung and Yukhei's shouts rose from the engine room under the bridge, the words "overload" and "burnout" prominent. 

Captain Baekhyun's calm voice rose above the din. "Shut down the engine." It took a few moments, but the steady hum that was a constant background to their lives aboard the Infinity 1 cut out. 

"Momentum slowing," Taemin announced, his slim fingers dancing over the board, cutting the alarms. "Diagnostics running." He double checked a readout on one of the screens at his console. "We've popped back into the void, but we're a long way from where we started." 

Minhyung appeared at the top of the stairs, Yukhei's tall form following him, cradling one arm. Taeyong noticed the younger man's injury and grabbed the bridge's med kit before heading toward him. Kai, Minhyung and Taemin approached the captain at the same time. Baekhyun's gaze went to the engineer first. "Status?"

Minhyung swiped a hand nervously through his orange hair. "The power crystal's been damaged from the engine trying to correct our course while we were bouncing though dimensions. We've got maybe three hops left before it burns out completely."

Kai stared at the engineer in shock. An energy crystal large enough to power the Infinity 1 should last years. For it to burn up so quickly—what in the hell had hit them? 

He must have said that last bit out loud because Baekhyun's focus shifted to him. "It doesn't really matter, Kai, unless whatever it was came through with us." 

A glance at his security monitor told him it hadn't. "It didn't, and no apparent damage to the hull." 

"Good." Baekhyun turned toward the Navigator, the expression of worry on his face softening, knowing he could rely on his long-time partner to find a way out of the situation they were stuck in. "Suggestions, Taemin?"

"We need a new crystal. Unfortunately, right now we are in an uncharted area of the void. I don't know what's around us. Until I do, I can't plot us a path to the closest crystal source.” His full lips quirked down at the corners as if to say 'sorry'.

"All right, we're on damage control and inspection duty while you do your thing." Baekhyun moved away to check on the others and give orders. 

Kai watched as Taemin walked with an easy grace to his station, settling into his chair and folding his legs up under him. He scrubbed both hands through his silver hair, the motion causing two clumps to stick up like antennae from the back of his head. Kai hid a smile and sank into his own seat, briefly checking his monitors before turning his attention back to the Navigator. 

Taemin's dark blue eyes were closed, his expression serene as it always was when he surfed the dimensional waves that made up the Universe. His hands rested on his thighs, his fingers moving as if playing some sort of instrument and perhaps inside his head he was. After observing for a few moments, Kai realized Taemin was on a deep dive and might not resurface for hours. Getting to his feet, he caught Baekhyun's eye and tilted his head in the direction of the corridor leading to the rest of the ship. His captain nodded in acknowledgment, and Kai left the bridge to check for damage. 

As he walked, poking his head into various rooms along his route and pausing more than once to check wall-mounted displays, his thoughts traveled back through the years to the moment he and Baekhyun had first met Taemin.

* * *

Water soaked the leg of Kai's pants as his foot came down in another puddle. Ignoring it, he dashed after Baekhyun through a series of dark and twisting alleyways. "Baek!" he called, trying to keep his voice low. "Baek, please, I can't--" A stitch in his side doubled him over, and he braced his hands on his knees, his chest heaving. Three jumps with the two of them had used up almost all his strength. 

Sensing Kai had fallen behind, Baekhyun returned to his friend's side, sliding his shoulder under Kai's arm for support. "You all right?" he asked, swiveling his head from side to side for any sign of their pursuers. 

Kai shook his head. "They're too close. If I try to teleport again, I'll glitch us for sure." A noise behind them made him jerk. "You go on. I'll try and draw them off." 

Baekhyun let out a short bark of laughter. "Where in the hell am I supposed to go? They've found us everywhere we've run. I say we stand and fight." He drew himself up to his full height and turned to face the way they had come, the tell-tale glow of his power beginning to light up his fingertips. 

"You'll die." The voice came from somewhere behind them, quiet and clear, with a calm urgency.

Baekhyun whirled, his hand coming up ready to unleash a burst of blinding light. Kai leapt on him, pulling Baekhyun's arm into his coat to hide the growing brightness. "Think, Baek! You'll lead them right to us!"

The voice rang out again. "If you want to live, follow me!" A figure in a long, hooded coat stood in the center of the alley, his hand beckoning to them. Stepping toward the side of a warehouse, he vanished.

"What the--?" Baekhyun started, but Kai was already dragging him to what appeared to be a solid wall. "It's not a hologram; I'd know."

The familiar energy of a dimensional barrier made the hair on the back of Kai's neck stand up. "It's out of phase from this dimension by .005 degrees. It'll hide us well enough for a few minutes." Taking hold of Baekhyun's elbow, he strode through the wall.

On the other side was what appeared to be a dark and empty space, but Kai's teleportation abilities made him especially attuned to any kind of dimensional disturbance. He could feel the power of a dimension engine close by. "Who are you and what do you want with us?" he said to the silhouette standing in the middle of the room.

Baekhyun was apparently through with all the mystery. A ball of light the size of a fist rose from his open hand to hover above them, illuminating the three of them and not much more. Kai still couldn't make out the stranger's face inside the shadows of his hood though his form was lit clearly. He was about the same height as Baekhyun, which meant shorter than Kai by several centimeters, and slim. Long legs gave the illusion of greater height, however, and the way he held himself spoke of a hidden strength to Kai's trained eye. 

The figure brought his palms together in front of his chest and made a slight bow. "I am someone who wishes to help you. When I received word of two Exos seeking passage off this world, I thought we could work together to our mutual benefit. I have a ship and am in need of a crew."

Moving out in front of Kai, Baekhyun said, "How do we know you aren't one of our enemies trying to trick us?"

"You don't," he replied, taking a step closer. 

Laying a hand on Baekhyun's shoulder, Kai attempted to put the smaller man behind him again, but Baek shrugged him off.

"I wish I could let you have all the time you need to make a decision, but we're still close enough to this plane for them to follow you."

"How?" Kai spat. "No one has ever been able to trace my jumps before."

The stranger chuckled softly, a breathy hiccuping sound at odds with the soft, entrancing quality of his voice. "You are just unlucky. You happened to land on a planet where you are the only two Exos."

"DNA tracker," Baekhyun said after a beat. "We'll never lose them if we stay here." He glanced at Kai, who nodded. "We don't have a choice then. We'll come with you."

"Very good," the man said, reaching up to push back his hood. "I am Taemin. I am a Navigator."

Kai heard Baekhyun gasp, and he wasn't sure if it was because of Taemin's declaration or the sight of the visage revealed to them. To call Taemin handsome would be a disservice. He was the most exquisitely beautiful male Kai had ever seen. Silver hair swooped in a wave over a wide forehead. High cheekbones complimented an angular jawline, and full lips gave his mouth a lush, tantalizing shape. But it was the fiercely intelligent gaze shining from diamond bright blue eyes that sent a shiver down his spine. Kai could imagine he would be a formidable enemy if crossed. 

Then Taemin smiled and his expression was transformed to one of child-like radiance. "Welcome to my ship, the Infinity 1." He gestured behind him and a Corsair class Dimension Runner shimmered into view, or rather part of it did. The ship was much too large for the building, and Kai knew most of it had to be in another dimension. A lowered ramp leading to a lighted portal extended out to them, and Taemin strode toward it, clearly expecting Kai and Baekhyun to follow him.

Kai glanced at Baekhyun, who stood staring after Taemin with his mouth gaping open. Kai tapped his chin gently, and Baek's expression of astonishment vanished. "I thought they were a myth," he said, his gaze never leaving Taemin's back.

Placing a hand between his shoulder blades, Kai gave him a push toward the ship. "So did I." Navigators were the stuff of legends; creatures who could read the dimensional waves like pages of a book and who recalled everywhere they had been. They were the maps of the Universe, or so the old tales said. It was hinted they had other mystical powers as well, but the stories Kai had heard were vague on what exactly they were. 

They followed Taemin onto the ship, and the portal shut smoothly behind them. Pausing in the middle of the corridor, Taemin closed his eyes for a moment, and when he opened them, Kai felt the power of a dimension engine wash over him. "There," Taemin said, "we should be safe for the moment. She's jumped us into the void."

"How did you--"Baekhyun started to ask, but Taemin anticipated the question.

"The Infinity is an intelligent ship." He gave the wall next to him a pat. "I can give Nita basic commands. Actual flying requires hands on, but traveling the void is just passing though empty space. Safe enough for her to handle on her own." He gestured down the corridor. "Come. You must be hungry. I'll make you a meal and then show you to your quarters. We can discuss our agreement once you have rested." 

* * *

The meal had been pleasant. Taemin made them a stew of some kind of protein and fermented vegetables served over a cooked grain. It wasn't anything Baekhyun or Kai had ever eaten before, but neither of them could remember the last time they'd had a full meal, so to them it was heaven. Baekhyun ate silently, letting Kai carry the conversation. Kai was a wrencher and had plenty of technical questions about the Infinity 1, enough Baekhyun hoped to keep Taemin from noticing that he wasn't saying much. 

What could he say without sounding like an idiot? If Taemin truly was a Navigator, (and why would he lie?) Baekhyun was in awe, starstruck even. Not to mention that his heart did a strange fluttering thing in his chest every time he looked into the Navigator's eyes. It was stupid, this reaction he was having to Taemin. He was a grown man, not some _hoobae_ with a crush. 

So when Taemin showed them to their quarters, Baekhyun cleaned up in the sanitary facility, changed into the sleepwear the ship provided, and sat down on the sleeping platform to think. Kai, stretched out on his back on the other platform, hands behind his head, said, "Just go do it, get it out of your system. Otherwise, you're going to be weird around him, and that's going to make it weird for me."

"I have questions for him anyway," Baekhyun muttered, pushing his brown hair back off his forehead. 

"Right," Kai said, "urgent questions you need the answers to before you go to sleep. Go ask them, so I can get some rest."

 _I can do this._ Getting up, he put on some slippers he found in the storage unit and left their quarters. 

Taemin had pointed out his own room in passing and kindly said if they needed anything they should ask. Good as an excuse as any, Baekhyun figured as he paused outside Taemin's door. He was trying to decide what question exactly was keeping him awake when the door slid open without Baekhyun having pressed the alert button. 

Taemin, standing in the middle of the room in only a pair of flowing dark pants, was holding a tablet and scrolling through the screen displayed. At the door's opening, he looked toward it, his expression at first startled, then resigned. "Nita," he said, gazing up at the ceiling and shaking his head, "you're supposed to notify me before letting visitors in." The ship didn't answer, (Baekhyun wondered what he would have done if it had) and Taemin set the tablet down on his desk. 

"I...um, if you're busy, we can talk another time," Baekhyun mumbled, looking down, starting to regret this whole stupid idea. 

"No, no," Taemin said, making a gesture of welcome toward him. "Please, come in. Make yourself comfortable."

Baekhyun entered, gazing around the room with interest. It was large, with the aforementioned desk, a sitting area with a couch, chairs, and low table, and an over-sized sleeping platform. The walls were covered in dark wood and small sculptures and carvings sat between rows of books on several shelves. The room felt serene and very much like Taemin if a room could be an extension of a personality. 

"Would you like something to drink?" Taemin asked, crossing in front of Baekhyun to a dispenser set into the wall. 

Baekhyun couldn't answer for a moment, his thoughts tangling at the display of tawny skin and lithe muscle in front of him. "Um, no, no, I'm good," he finally stammered, feeling his ears burning. 

Taemin must have realized the effect he was having on Baekhyun, because he picked up a silky robe from the back of a chair and slipped it on, though he left it open. Was that a signal? Baekhyun didn't know, but he decided to send one of his own. 

When Taemin turned around, Baekhyun was seated cross-legged on the sleeping platform. Taemin's eyebrows rose fractionally, but he only gave a small smile before joining him on the platform, legs folded the same as Baekhyun's, facing him, barely an arm's length away. Baekhyun had to remind himself to breathe. 

"So," Taemin said, "I imagine you have a reason for being here?"

"Yes," was all Baekhyun could manage. Being this close to Taemin was a problem. He rubbed his sweaty palms on the knees of his pants. "I had a question about the—the crew. You've hired the two of us, but neither of us knows anything about flying a dimension runner." There, he'd gotten out two whole sentences. 

Giving him his cherubic smile, Taemin said, "Like I said, the Infinity 1 can pretty much fly herself when she's in the void. I need a crew for the work I do, and I'd like them to have inter-dimensional abilities, like Kai's teleportation."

Baekhyun narrowed his eyes, suddenly aware he didn't know what Taemin's work entailed. "What is it you do?"

His eyes now twinkling, Taemin replied, "I'm a, hmm, let's say procurer of rare goods, for lack of a better term. People want something unique or valuable and pay me credits to get it for them."

"Ah, I see. And would perhaps some of the methods you use not be strictly legal?"

"Would that be a problem?"

Baekhyun shook his head. "No. Kai and I aren't innocents. Sometimes the best method isn't the cleanest." He sighed. "So you want people with dimension related abilities. Where do I fit in then? My ability has nothing to do with that."

Taemin leaned back on his hands, causing his robe to gape open and giving Baekhyun a peek at cleanly defined collarbones and a dusky nipple. He bit the inside of his lip to keep from making an inappropriate noise.

"Ah, yes, your abilities will be much more useful on our little procurement jobs." 

Baekhyun's brain felt thick, and he had to look away. He tried to focus on a painting of a brilliantly colored lizard with wings hanging over the head of the sleeping platform. "Really?"

Taemin sat up again, his complete attention focused on Baekhyun, who shivered. "I know you can generate light; you showed me that earlier. Is it all wavelengths of light? Lasers? X-ray and gamma rays? And don't forget the absence of light. You can extinguish your own light, but what about ambient light, can you affect that?"

His eagerness was scary. Swallowing nervously, Baekhyun ran the tip of his tongue over his lower lip, something he knew was a tell, but a habit he'd never been able to break. Taemin's gaze followed that small movement, his eyes bright. "I don't know what you mean," Baekhyun finally answered. 

Taemin stretched out a hand to the side and a small hand lamp that rested on one of the shelves flew into it. Baekhyun couldn't help it; he jumped. "Whoa! You have powers! Telekinesis? Are you Exo?"

Shaking his head, Taemin replied, "I'm not really sure what I am, other than a Navigator." He tossed the lamp up into the air and it hung there, perfectly still. "I can levitate things, but there are limits. I'm best with things that are my weight or less, and line of sight only." Letting the lamp drop, he caught it neatly, giving Baekhyun a wicked grin. "I'm sure you can guess how useful this little talent is in my line of work." 

Taemin turned the lamp on, and a tight beam shot up to illuminate the ceiling. "See if you can turn this off."

With a smirk, Baekhyun reached over and flipped the lamp's power switch. Taemin stared at him for a second, then he doubled over with laughter. "Oh, oh, I deserved that," he finally said when he could breathe again. "I haven't laughed like that in I don't know how long." Baekhyun ducked his head, absurdly proud he could make this attractive man happy with such a simple act. 

Smiling, Taemin leaned toward him, holding out the lamp again. "Shall we try this once more?" The beam shot forth a second time, and Baekhyun examined it, thinking about it in terms of wavelengths. The lamp had a strong power source, so he wasn't going to be able to cut it off the way he could his self-generated light by simply ceasing to supply energy to it. But if he could manipulate the wavelength...

"You did it!" Taemin exclaimed, and to his eyes it seemed the light had disappeared. 

"Well, I fooled you into thinking I turned it off. I shifted the wavelength so that it's out of the normal humanoid visual spectrum."

"Infra-red?" Taemin guessed. At Baekhyun's nod, he added, "But you can still see it, right?"

"I can see all wavelengths."

The other man turned off the lamp and sent it sailing back to the shelf. He then rested his elbows on his knees and his chin on his folded hands, his eyes closing half-way. Baekhyun, sensing something was happening, stayed quiet. When Taemin looked up at Baekhyun again, all traces of any childish expression were gone. "So if I asked you to create an x-ray to look at a box, you could see what's inside without the need for any equipment to display the image?" 

He thought about that for a moment. "I suppose so. It's not something I've ever tried. I've not had much call for creating x-rays. I'd have to practice."

Taemin's big grin appeared again. "Oh, you'll practice all right. I'm going to turn you into the best safe cracker in the universe."

The duality was intense. Baekhyun had never met anyone who could go from deadly attractive to giggly kid in a split second. "How do you do that?"

Taemin blinked and his face transformed from amused adolescent to chill adult. "Do what?"

"That." He waved his hand in the general direction of Taemin's face. 

Taemin's brows drew together, and his lips tightened into a thin line. For a moment, Baekhyun saw a flash of anger darken his blue eyes, then he turned his head away, and Baekhyun knew somehow he had hurt his feelings. 

"I'm sorry. I-I meant it as a compliment. I like your face," he stumbled over his words, wanting desperately to make it better. 

Letting out a long sigh, Taemin scrubbed his face with his hands. "It's a blessing and a curse," he muttered, his expression neutral. "People underestimate me because they think someone so pretty must not have any brains, which is good for business. But when it's really important, when I need someone to listen to me, I'm dismissed." 

Baekhyun was confused. Who wouldn't listen to a Navigator? Then he realized, "You don't tell them you're a Navigator."

Taemin shook his head. "Too dangerous. If certain people found out what I am..." his voice trailed off, and a visible shudder ran through him. 

Baekhyun had been there, held captive and forced to use his power and knowledge for his enemies benefit. "But you told us. Why? You don't know us. We could--"

"I had to. I want you as part of my crew. Living and working here, there's no way you wouldn't figure it out the moment you saw me on the bridge." He touched Baekhyun's knee lightly. "And I trust you because you trusted me. I could have turned you over to your enemies."

"But you didn't because we're useful." Taemin frowned at that pragmatic view but didn't deny it. "So what did you do before? Did you work alone?"

He nodded. "I hired freelancers from time to time, but it's a pain finding exactly what I need for a job in every dimension. Having a crew is better, and even though I've flown Nita for years by myself, it's inefficient."

"How many people does it take to fly this thing?"

"Seven is the optimal number of crew for this class ship," Taemin answered him. "Pilot, navigator, engineer plus engineer's assistant, someone with med/science training, systems, and a captain."

"Aren't you the captain? It's your ship."

Taemin shook his head, his silver locks bouncing. "A Navigator is information, and it's dangerous having information make decisions." At Baekhyun's blank look, he explained. "Say I've decided to take a course of action and I gather information related to that action to help me choose how to proceed. But the information is saying that what I want to do is hazardous, or won't produce the outcome I want. But I really want to do this thing. What's to stop me from shading the information I have so that it appears more favorable? No one else would know. When it's just me, I can play those kind of mind games; I like challenging myself. But with a crew, I shouldn't be in charge of decision-making. People could get hurt. That's why I need you." 

Baekhyun was so startled he rocked back. "Me? You know nothing about me."

"I know you're a leader. In the alley, you were the one making a decision to fight. When an alternative was offered, you were reluctant, but trusted Kai, who had more information due to his ability. When I asked you to come with me, Kai looked to you to make the decision. Those are the traits of a leader, a captain. I would have no problem following your orders."

At those words, Baekhyun's stomach roiled, and he was almost sick. Taemin didn't know what he was asking, didn't know what had happened to the last people who had followed his orders. He and Kai were the only ones left, the only ones Baekhyun's orders hadn't lost or killed. Faces swam before his eyes and he doubled over, fighting against the memories, low, harsh sounds grating in his throat. 

There was a light touch on the back of his neck and a gentle voice inside his head. _Show me._ He opened the door and let Taemin in, standing in the broken, blood-stained battlefield of his mind reliving every moment of the fear and horror, the death and destruction and loss. Taemin stood by his side through it all, his hand in Baekhyun's, or his arms around him, raising him up every time he fell. When it ended, when all that was left was pain and grief, Baekhyun clawed his way to the surface, finding himself leaning against Taemin, his eyes and lungs burning, his face and neck wet with tears he'd kept inside for far too long. 

"We failed," he whispered, "I failed them. The Tree is lost, destroyed--"

Taemin made soft hushing sounds at him. _You didn't fail,_ he told him, the words calm in the still whirling chaos of Baekhyun's mind. _You were forced into a battle you were never meant to win. The Universe plays the long game; the effects of what you did may not be felt for millennia, long after you and I are dead. But know that what you did was not in vain, what you went through, what you sacrificed, matters._

Closing his eyes, Baekhyun let out a slow breath, realizing the truth in the Navigator's words. He would never know the reasons for the fight, but he could make peace with his part in it knowing he had done his best, had given his all. He sat up straight, his body aching, but his heart a little less heavy. He felt Taemin slipping out of his mind and was surprised at the emptiness, as if a piece of himself was now missing.

Taemin's gaze met Baekhyun's, and he thought he saw the same sense of loss reflected there. Giving him a tiny smile, Taemin touched Baekhyun's cheek, fingertips wiping away the remnants of tears. As he pulled his hand back, Baekhyun turned his head and pressed a soft kiss into Taemin's palm. Taemin stilled for a moment, startled, then cupped Baekhyun's face in both his hands. 

"Are you certain?" He nodded, and Taemin leaned forward, his plush lips meeting Baekhyun's thin ones in a gentle kiss as he pushed him back on the sleeping pad, his levitation ability making it feel like Baekhyun was a feather drifting down. He reached for Taemin, wanting to touch that smooth, golden skin, feel that lean body, but Taemin caught his hands, stilling them against the sheets. "Allow me," he whispered in his ear, as Baekhyun heard inside his head, _let me love you._

Blinking back tears, he surrendered to Taemin's light touches, tender kisses, warm licks, and gentle nips. When Taemin finally pressed into him, some small part of Baekhyun's mind that was still capable of coherent thought recognized the Navigator's talent extended to this most intimate of acts. Baekhyun had never felt so thoroughly seen, so utterly _known._ A galaxy of stars exploding inside his body, he opened his eyes to meet Taemin's passionate blue gaze, knowing in that perfect moment he would love this man until his last breath.

* * *

When Kai returned from his inspection of the ship, only Baekhyun and Taemin were still on the bridge. Baekhyun looked up as Kai entered. "I sent the others off to get some downtime. There's nothing more we can do until we have information." At his words, Taemin began to stir, his position shifting slightly, his fingers clenching then unfurling. Baekhyun moved to stand behind him, beginning a gentle massage of the Navigator's neck and shoulders, a habit they had gotten into over the years to make emerging from a dive easier on Taemin. 

Taemin stretched, slowly unfolding his legs and raising his arms above his head. Baekhyun bent to plant a kiss in his hair as Taemin wrapped his arms around Baek's neck in an upside down hug. "Did I miss anything?"

"No." Baekhyun sat in the chair next to him, and Kai pulled one over from his station to join them."Ship didn't take any damage other than to the crystal. If we can get a replacement, we should be good."

Taemin stretched some more, then got up and walked around the bridge to try and relieve the stiffness in his muscles. Finally he sat back at his console and input data for several minutes, then threw some calculations up on the big screen. "That's what we're looking at. The closest dimension with a reading that suggests crystals is two jumps away. But there's a problem."

Baekhyun let out a sigh and pushed his hair back off his face. "There always is. Go on."

"The dimension is unstable; it's constantly changing. It's a risk taking Nita there because the instability could affect the dimension engine."

Kai spoke up. "Minhyung said the crystal might only make two or three more jumps. It's either going to burn out getting us there, or we'll have to shut it down as soon as we cross the threshold."

Taemin nodded. "If we can't get a crystal there, we'll be stuck. To make things even more difficult, the instability means most of our powers will be too dangerous to use."

Kai frowned. "What do you mean 'too dangerous'?"

"The dimension is constantly shifting, what was in one place a second ago is in a different place now. Everyone who has dimension related powers won't be able to keep up with the math needed to use them. You have to calculate in eleven dimensions to teleport. You can't do it if the variables keep changing." 

Kai swore. That meant none of Minhyung's portals, Ten's mirror verse walking, or even Taeyong's replication abilities would be available to them."So old school then?"

"Yep," Baekhyun said,"scanners, ropes and anything else we think we'll need. We'll at least have my light ability, Taemin's levitation and Yukhei's hearing." He glanced at Taemin for conformation of that.

At his nod, Baekhyun stood. "Let's get some downtime and start fresh in the next cycle. We've got plenty of battery power to run systems, and I don't think anything else is going to hit us this far out in the back end of the void."

* * *

High in a mountain meadow, the other one seated himself in the long grass, gazing around with interest. Trees covered the slopes rising up beside the one he had chosen for an observation point and tendrils of low clouds shrouded the peaks. 

It was very pretty here, he decided, and the smells were much nicer than the place he had come from. The scent of growing things, free flowing water and fresh earth filled his nose. Yes, much more pleasant than the stink of electronics, recycled air and harsh chemicals. 

It was a good place to sit and wait. Crossing his legs, he buried his fingers in the strands of grass, enjoying the soft blades tickling his palms. He brushed aside the fleeting thought that it might rain on him while he was under and dove into the waves.

* * *

It was worse than Taemin had predicted. The dimension had shrunk down to a mere 10 kilometer square area, give or take, and pretty much all of it was chaos. The only landmark remaining from what must have been a very advanced civilization was a single, crumbling skyscraper surrounded by rubble. Taeyong's scanner showed that the crystal signal was coming from somewhere inside it. 

There was no entrance accessible from the ground, or if there was, it was constantly changing. In the end, Kai free climbed the side of the building, trusting Taemin to catch him if he fell. Once inside through a window, he lowered ropes for the others to climb. 

When they were all together again, Baekhyun asked for an analysis of their situation. Taeyong held up the scanner. "Definitely crystals here, Captain. Should be on the floor below us. It's the one area that seems to be pretty stable."

"Taemin?"

The Navigator blinked and turned his attention to Baekhyun a bit slower than was his norm. "We need to proceed safely, but quickly. If we stay here too long, the forces tearing this place apart will start to affect us as well. I'm doing what I can to stabilize a bubble around us, but I don't know how long it will last."

Kai could see the captain was surprised at that news, but quickly hid his expression. "Let's find a way down then."

The ropes came into play again as the seven of them lowered down into the center of the building, ending up in front of a large vault door. Taeyong scanned it and nodded. "Crystal readings are strongest here."

"Right." Baekhyun moved to the door and concentrated. Kai knew he was using his x-ray ability to see through the metal to the locking mechanism. After a moment, he shifted to the left about a half meter and raised his hand. A thin cutting laser emanating from his palm began to slice into the metal. After a few minutes, he stood back. "I've cut through the bolts holding it shut. Get it open, boys!"

Yukhei, Minhyung and Taeyong all grasped the handle and pulled. With a screech and a groan, the vault door slowly opened. What met their eyes was both the solution to their problem and another nightmare. 

The secure room was approximately six meters by six meters, and the floor was piled with pyramid shaped black crystals, in some places hills of them reached a meter in height.

Minhyung let loose a string of profanity that shocked even Kai, and he had heard Minhyung curse in the throes of passion. "What?" he asked, not comprehending that the pile of crystals revealed presented a new challenge.

"Idiots! Idiots! No wonder this place is collapsing in on itself! Harvested crystals have to be kept in stasis cubes to keep from deteriorating and destroying everything around them." Minhyung's gaze immediately went to Taemin, expert in all things dimension related.

Sighing, Taemin seemed to shrink for a moment, then he straightened to his full height, rubbing his temple. "The chances of there being a crystal in there that's not too far gone to be used is slim, but we don't have a choice. Minhyung, give Yukhei the pack with the stasis cubes." He moved to the taller man and helped him strap the pack to his chest. "I'm going to levitate you into the room over the crystals. Use your hearing to try and find the ones that sound healthiest. You have three cubes, maybe out of three we'll get one good one. You have protective gloves?" 

Yukhei held up his gloved hands. "Okay, just relax and let me lift you." As Yukhei rose slowly off the ground and rotated until he was looking down at the crystals, Baekhyun went to Taemin's right side and laid his hand on his shoulder. Kai did the same on Taemin's left, feeling their bond come active, funneling some of their energy to Taemin. _That's great,_ Taemin told Yukhei, and his mental words traveled through the bond to all of them. _Just tell me where to move you._

It was slow, tedious work, but finally Yukhei had collected what he deemed the three best crystals from the vault. As Taemin floated him across the vault's threshold, his control slipped, dropping Yukhei in a sprawl to the floor. Minhyung and Taeyong rushed to him, but Kai's and Baekhyun's attention was focused on Taemin who slumped between them, green blood oozing down his forehead. 

They felt the change immediately, a kind of sickly lethargy creeping over them. _I'm sorry. I can't hold the contagion back any longer. We need to leave now!_

"You heard him!" Baekhyun yelled, "go, go go!" He put Taemin's arm over his shoulder, but Kai shook his head, lifting the Navigator onto his back. "Ten, take point!" As the pilot led them toward a staircase, Baekhyun's worried gaze met Kai's, but they said nothing, simply followed the rest of the crew, searching for a way out.

* * *

The other one arose from his dive smoothly when he felt the Universal vibration change. Reaching into the pocket of his loose, dark trousers, he pulled out the signaling unit he had cobbled together from some devices the people on this planet in this dimension called mobiles. A mobile 'what', he had wondered but his modifications had made it suitable for this purpose. He swiped his thumb across the screen, sending his message out into the Universe. 

Settling himself onto the long grass again, he waited. 

* * *

The Infinity 1 shimmered into view, hovering half a meter off the ground, her cargo portal already open. "Go!" Baekhyun yelled, pointing with his free hand toward the ship. Kai took Taemin from him, lifting the Navigator as easily as he would a child. Minhyung and Yukhei were the first to enter, pounding up the corridor to the engine room, Ten right behind them on the way to the bridge. Taeyong hung back, hovering around Kai and Taemin, scanner in hand. "Sickbay," Baekhyun started to say.

 _Bridge._ The word resounded firmly in all their minds. Baekhyun didn't like it, but he led the way, Taeyong darting into sickbay to grab his med kit before following them. 

As soon as Baekhyun settled on the floor by Taemin's station, Kai lowered Taemin to his lap. Baekhyun wrapped his arms around his partner, and Taemin leaned against him, resting his head on his shoulder. Taeyong dropped to his knees beside them, dermal injector out. He gave the antidote for dimension sickness to Taemin first, pressing the injector to the side of his neck, followed by Baekhyun and Kai. He left them then to treat the rest of the crew. 

Kai squatted next to them, his expression stricken. "Anything you need me to do, Captain?" Baekhyun shook his head. 

The communications panel crackled, and Minhyung's voice came through. "Igniting engine now!" They held their breaths, but the engine fired on the first try, settling into its familiar hum smoothly. 

"Ten, get us out of here!" Baekhyun ordered.

The pilot's fingers flew over the controls, then he looked over his shoulder at his captain, his eyes wide. "I can't plot a course out, the variables are changing too fast! This place is collapsing!"

"Beacon," Taemin stated, his voice low but firm. At his words, a green light flashed on his console. Leaping to his feet, Kai slapped his palm down on it, and the Infinity's navigation controls locked onto the signal. There was a terrible scream from the engine, but the ship hopped. It was the worst jump Baekhyun had ever felt; for a moment he could have sworn his organs were on the outside of his body. Then they were in the void and it was as if the whole nightmare had never happened.

"Kai," Baekhyun said softly,"go check on everyone, make sure we didn't take any damage during the jump." Kai nodded and left. 

Then it was just the two of them. Baekhyun pressed his lips to his lover's forehead, blinking hard to hold back the tears. _You knew._

Taemin's voice inside his head was as warm and reassuring as it had always been. _I knew. I'm sorry I couldn't tell you._

Baekhyun wanted to scream at him, wanted say, "Why did you make me captain if you weren't going to let me make the hard choices?" But he knew why Taemin had withheld information, knew that if he had been in Taemin's position, he would have done the same. They both loved this ship and this crew, and if a sacrifice needed to be made to save them, they would be the ones to make it. 

_Are you going to die?_

Taemin's answer was his usual cryptic and mysterious. _This form is damaged beyond repair._

Baekhyun squeezed him tight, burying his sob in Taemin's silver hair. _You never aged. I always thought you were immortal._

_Not immortal, just long-lived._ Taemin shifted then, his right hand slipping inside Baekhyun's shirt to rest over his heart. His touch almost broke Baekhyun. 

He needed to think about anything else, talk to him about anything other than death. _The beacon! Where did it come from? Who sent it?_

__

__

_I did._ Taemin's words only confused Baekhyun more.

_You? But how...when you were under, did you somehow contact another Navigator?_

Taemin pressed his lips to the side of Baekhyun's neck. _I asked them to send the signal when they felt the engine come back online. I do not know where we are headed, but I know they are there._

For a fleeting second, Baekhyun felt hope. If this other Navigator could help Taemin, could heal him--

 _There is too much damage, Baekhyun. You must trust them as you trust me. They will help you, I promise._ Taemin's eyes closed then, and for a panicked moment Baekhyun thought he had gone until he felt the warm exhale of his breath against his skin. _Be quiet now and hold me. We are almost there._

Baekhyun wrapped his arms more securely around the love of his life, leaned his cheek against his hair and waited. 

* * *

The other one rose to his feet, feeling the need to move, as if that would hurry their journey. He walked in a slow circle, gazing up at the sky, his fingertips brushing the tops of the long grass. Looking upward was pointless, as the ship would appear at the designated coordinates, no flying needed, but somehow in his mind ships were always associated with flight. 

A thrill of excitement ran through him, but was quickly tempered by sadness. One of his set was damaged and would transcend. He had never witnessed a transcendence before, but he knew what to do, all the sets did. Even if he was not here, the Navigator would transcend back to the Universe herself.

The ripple of energy washed over his skin, raising goosebumps, a new sensation. Smiling, he headed down the mountainside toward the Dimension Runner that had just materialized in the meadow. 

* * *

_Outside._ It had been the last thing Taemin said to Baekhyun before he lapsed into unconsciousness. Kai had carried Taemin for the final time, lying him down in soft grass on the side of a mountain. Baekhyun knelt beside him, resting Taemin's head in his lap, while the rest of the crew gathered around them, backs to them to give them the illusion of privacy, though they could all feel him fading. 

"Baek," Kai said softly,"someone's coming."

Lifting his head, Baekhyun saw a dark-clad figure approaching through tear-blurred eyes. The stranger entered the circle of members silently, kneeling next to Taemin's still form. 

Laying a hand on the Navigator's forehead, he said in a low voice, "Taemin 180793, you did well. Rest now."

Taemin's body began to glow golden, then transformed into a million points of shining light. The tiny motes of light swirled and danced, beginning to flow up toward the sky. The stranger raised his hand, plunging it into the cloud of shining energy. The direction of the lights changed, instead of escaping upward, they swarmed over the stranger, flaring so brightly that Baekhyun had to turn his head, before they sank beneath his skin. 

Knowing only that his Taemin was gone and this interloper had something to do with it, Baekhyun lunged at him. The other one caught his face in gentle hands before he could land a blow, and Baekhyun was surrounded in a familiar, reassuring warmth, the voice he'd loved for years resounding in his mind. _I am Taemin. I am a Navigator. Please don't be afraid._

All the fight went out of him then, and he clung to the other one's arms, seeing his face clearly for the first time. The hair was black and straight, the cheekbones high, the mouth lush, and the eyes the golden brown of freshly brewed tea, but they were the same eyes—the same eyes. _Taemin?_

 _I'm here, love._ Baekhyun fell into his embrace, realizing that even when Taemin metamorphosed, their bond had never wavered. 

The others knelt around them, hands touching, completing the connection as the clouds above them parted, sunlight illuminating the seven members, the Universe enfolding them in her infinite mystery.


End file.
